A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Viva la sangre!

Ron Garza sends in this powerful photo of Jon Durante‘s facial cuttings. Along with several other friends, they climbed to the top of an Aztec pyramid (a site no stranger to blood rituals) and performed a series of rituals and modifications (read and see more on their IAM pages)… They were escorted off the pyramids by the Federales, but the police were respectful and let them go after getting them away from the tourists.

Ron says that they were told this was the most blood spilled on that pyramid in the last five hundred years.

This photo just gives me the chills; and that was before I’d read the story… I think I’m going to leave it up as the top entry for a while (that’s why I posted lots today). It’s really one of my favorite photo sets I’ve received at BME of all time.

Comments

32 responses to “Viva la sangre!”

  1. verucassault Avatar
    verucassault

    Wow. That’s an amazing story and similarly amazing photos. I’m fascinated that the police didn’t chuck ‘em off the side of the pyramid or anything – like I’m sure they would have in the States.

    *stares at photo some more*

  2. verucassault Avatar
    verucassault

    Wow. That’s an amazing story and similarly amazing photos. I’m fascinated that the police didn’t chuck ‘em off the side of the pyramid or anything – like I’m sure they would have in the States.

    *stares at photo some more*

  3. TribalJMD Avatar

    wow, I always admired his work, and that just seems like it would have been an awesome experince.

  4. TribalJMD Avatar

    wow, I always admired his work, and that just seems like it would have been an awesome experince.

  5. Emily Avatar

    That’s aweeeeesome, just symbolically… amazing.

  6. Emily Avatar

    That’s aweeeeesome, just symbolically… amazing.

  7. La Negra Avatar
    La Negra

    Viva!

  8. La Negra Avatar
    La Negra

    Viva!

  9. wild skin Avatar

    A M A Z I N G!!! 0_0 my heart beats not fast…but hard…that pic has taken me to another place…definately gonna read the stoy NOW!!!

  10. wild skin Avatar

    A M A Z I N G!!! 0_0 my heart beats not fast…but hard…that pic has taken me to another place…definately gonna read the stoy NOW!!!

  11. Tara Avatar
  12. Tara Avatar
  13. Sade Avatar
    Sade

    i find this piscture so calming for some reason.

  14. Sade Avatar
    Sade

    i find this piscture so calming for some reason.

  15. goomy Avatar

    I agree with Sade. This picture seems kind of soothing.

  16. goomy Avatar

    I agree with Sade. This picture seems kind of soothing.

  17. waffle Avatar
    waffle

    this is so captivating i would love to have a part in something like this

  18. waffle Avatar
    waffle

    this is so captivating i would love to have a part in something like this

  19. Kao Avatar

    inspiring!!!!

  20. Kao Avatar

    inspiring!!!!

  21. John Durante Avatar
    John Durante

    This was one of the most amazing expieriences in my life, I am flattered it moved so many people, I love you guys!!!

  22. John Durante Avatar
    John Durante

    This was one of the most amazing expieriences in my life, I am flattered it moved so many people, I love you guys!!!

  23. lala Avatar
    lala

    Like I said before, John Durante, you are AWESOME!

  24. lala Avatar
    lala

    Like I said before, John Durante, you are AWESOME!

  25. Bronwyn Avatar

    that site looks familiar… is that at Teotihuacan outside Mexico City?

  26. Bronwyn Avatar

    that site looks familiar… is that at Teotihuacan outside Mexico City?

  27. yer mom Avatar
    yer mom

    douchebags like him shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near such sacred sites…

  28. yer mom Avatar
    yer mom

    douchebags like him shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near such sacred sites…

  29. rachel cherie Avatar
    rachel cherie

    jon durante is pretty intense in a calm steady piercing way. i met him up in seattle when his cuttings were well scarred up. they look great.

  30. rachel cherie Avatar
    rachel cherie

    jon durante is pretty intense in a calm steady piercing way. i met him up in seattle when his cuttings were well scarred up. they look great.

  31. Noah Matteson Avatar
    Noah Matteson

    once again, john durante is one of the greatest mod artists. he takes everything into a personal matter, and makes it such a great experience while having a great time.

  32. Noah Matteson Avatar
    Noah Matteson

    once again, john durante is one of the greatest mod artists. he takes everything into a personal matter, and makes it such a great experience while having a great time.

Latest Tattoo, Piercing, and Body Modification News

  • Held by Hooks, and Each Other
    Facilitators and practitioners — the very people who bring so many suspensions to life — often pour their energy into others, quietly setting aside their own opportunities. Brenton and Brittany are one such example. Traveling all the way from Houston, TX, they came to the… Read more: Held by Hooks, and Each Other
  • When Tongue Piercings Meet Medicine
    In 2010, a German study was published involving subjects with tongue piercings. The tongue piercing was used as part of a device designed to relieve obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder affecting many individuals. Severely affected individuals may suffer from various long-term… Read more: When Tongue Piercings Meet Medicine
  • Suspended, Not Silenced
    There’s something undeniably powerful about watching someone working through the stages of suspension. We all build up ideas about ourselves—what we’re allowed to feel, how much we’re allowed to express, when it’s okay to break. For some, suspension is not about pushing physical limits its… Read more: Suspended, Not Silenced
  • A Nightbird’s Passage
    Some stories take their time, unfolding over decades, through life’s long detours and diversions. But dreams never rest until they’re fully realized. Even after 15 years, Robb knew there was still a suspension experience waiting for him. Something left unfinished, something essential. At the Ontario… Read more: A Nightbird’s Passage
  • What Lifts the Body, Shifts the Soul
    First suspensions are rarely just about the body—they’re a meeting point between the physical and the deeply personal. Stepping into this experience isn’t simply about trying something new, but about stepping outside yourself to a version you had always sensed was waiting. I’ve had a… Read more: What Lifts the Body, Shifts the Soul
  • Skin and Strings: The Art of Human Puppetry
    One of the most powerful things about being at a convention like OSC is the sheer concentration of experience, creativity, and capability in one place. When you’re surrounded by people who not only understand the technical complexities of suspension but are excited by the challenge… Read more: Skin and Strings: The Art of Human Puppetry